India hails Mars mission, PM calls it 'historic achievement'

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday hailed the launch of Mars Mission as a "historic achievement" and congratulated Isro scientists for the significant milestone.

India applauded its first interplanetary mission, Isro’s Mars Orbiter, when it rocketed towards Mars from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Tuesday.

The mission will help to carry out scientific experiments and search for evidence of life on the red planet.

Here are some reactions that came pouring in after the launch.

Prime Minister calls it 'historic achievement'PM Manmohan Singh called up Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan to congratulate him and his team of scientists and extended best wishes for its successful future.

"I congratulate you and your team for this historic achievement," the Prime Minister told Radhakrishnan.

In a message later, Singh said, "I congratulate all scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) for the successful launch today of the Mars Orbiter mission, the most complex space mission of the country.

"The successful launch is the first step towards a successful mission and is testimony to ISRO's mastery of the launch vehicle technology."

He wished the Isro scientists all the best for the "delicate next steps in this ambitious and long mission to Mars which will be the most significant milestone in our space programme and I remain confident that they will do the country proud".

Kalam compliments Isro for Mars orbiter launchIn his message, Former President and renowned scientist APJ Abdul Kalam, who was associated with many scientific projects including BrahMos missile, said the Mars orbiter of India "is in a great mission of a 400 million km journey which has commenced today successfully".

He expressed confidence that Isro will cross challenges in the mission on December 1, when the orbiter is given trans-mars injection and it escapes from the earth's sphere of influence.

"I wish Isro to succeed many more challenges during the Mars orbital mission with its technological strength to achieve the desired mission objectives," he said.

Sonia congratulates scientistsCongress president Sonia Gandhi Tuesday congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists after a rocket carrying the country's first Mars orbiter took off from the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh.

Gandhi said in a statement: "Every Indian is proud of this outstanding feat by our great scientists."

Narendra Modi pats IsroTalking to reporters at the residence of senior party leader M M Joshi, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said it is believed that Mars and Earth are connected to each other. "The probe will help the human race better understand the relation (between the two planets)," he said.

"When we had success in Chandrayan mission, I had gone there (ISRO) to thank the scientists and technicians. Today, I am not able to go there but I congratulate them all those involved in the successful launching of the Mars Mission".

Joshi, a physics professor, said it was time India worked more seriously on solid fuel technology as it can make the launch vehicle more compact and lighter.

"A GSLV launch vehicle would have been a better option. But I believe for that we would have to wait for another year or so...the launch has put India in the league of four countries to have this capability," he said.

It's a historic moment: NarayanasamyMinister of State in PMO VNarayanasamy today hailed the successful launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission saying it was a historic moment for the country.

"India is the fourth country in the world to take up the mars expedition and our scientists deserve congratulations for it," Narayanasamy told PTI, adding the launch was very accurate.

"The world was expecting that India would achieve it. Our ISRO team and Dr Radhakrishnan were able to achieve the task of mars mission," he said.

Looking towards success of India's Mars Mission: Omar Responding to queries on the mission which was launched today, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said, "I am waiting for the day when India succeeds in the mission. That will be the day when I think we have truly arrived (in space programme)."

Calling the mission a major challenge, he said only few countries had launched a Mars mission. "Mars is a new frontier for our scientific community. It is obviously a major challenge," he said.

AP CM congratulates IsroIn a statement, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said, "The blast off was perfect. It's a great achievement. ISRO scientists deserve all kudos for the precision-like successful launch." "My hearty congratulations to the entire ISRO team. It's a historic day for the country," he added.

Kiran said the Mars Mission has so far been progressing well and expressed hope that it would reach its goal.

"ISRO scientists have flown India's tricolour high in the space by successfully launching Mangalyan. It gives happiness that the 300-day mission has been launched on a successful note, which is another milestone in India's space programme," Chandrababu said in a message.

School and college students proud of Mars missionAs India launched its Mars mission on Tuesday, students hailed the scientific feat and hoped that it yields successful results.

"I am proud to be an Indian today (Tuesday), and hearty congratulations to ISRO. It is truly a great achievement," Aveedan Shah, a Class 10 student at Delhi Public School (DPS), said.

Another excited student, Shilpa Saluja of Amity International School (Saket), said: "Nothing feels more enthralling than this. India is now all set to invade the celestial world."

"Nasa spent much more for its mission to Mars but ISRO did it for just Rs.450 crore. This is truly remarkable," Swarup Saha, a physics student at St. Xavier's College in Kolkata, said.

Added Anant Singh of Hindu College in Delhi: "It is another leap in space research by India. With this mission, India joins the elite league with Russia and the United States."

"Hope we are able to find something more than what others have done," said Shweta Sengar, a third year student of the Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi.